Day 2: Grosse Pointe, Michigan to Niagara Falls, Ontario
Distance: 243 miles
On the radio: “Poets,” The Tragically Hip (1998)
Highlights: Crossing the USA-Canada border 52 miles north of Grosse Pointe at Port Huron, I’m on my way to Niagara Falls for lunch and a little sightseeing, then overnight in Syracuse, NY. There’s something O so liberating about driving my own car in O Canada. Like, I don’t have to be responsible for or pay for a car rental or any special insurance. My provider, State Farm, basically said there is no additional cost for coverage, but they would like to know where I plan to go, for how long and why (business or pleasure). They also could provide me with a special ID card, if desired. This is not to say they would provide coverage if I was galavanting around the Northwest Territories or Nunavut. But this trip through part of what some call “America’s largest national park” would be mostly urban, via very well-paved highways connecting major cities: Detroit to London, Hamilton and Niagara Falls. Then Buffalo to Syracuse; Cooperstown, NY; Boston and Plymouth, NH. And finally on to Magog and Quebec City, then Montreal, Stratford, St. Marys, Ontario, and home.
The drive along the ON-402 / ON-403 was like driving across the middle of Michigan, heavily forested and within a stones throw of a Great Lake, but with way more dead deer. The government run rest stops are called ONroute Service Centres, and they provide immense joy to tired travelers in the form of Tim Horton donuts and other delectibles. Although I did not stop, of note is Brantford, aka “Telephone City,” as the home of Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone. It is here where the very first telephone call was made in 1876, to nearby Mount Pleasant and, a few days later, long distance to Paris, Ontario, some 10 miles away. Another even more intriguing sign along the way beckoned me to visit the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. I had absolutely no idea that this even existed, and made note of it for the return trip.
My love-hate relationship with my iPhone Maps app dropped me smack dab in the middle of downtown Niagara Falls – not the tourist area but the vintage downtown. It’s a little worn out, dead quiet on a Monday at noon, but the perfect place to stop for lunch and reorientation. I picked the Grand Central Bar, on Queen Street, for a wrap and some lively conversation with Chris, behind the bar, and Harry, in front. Apparently, I just missed the 59th anniversary of a boy – wearing only his life jacket and bathing suit – who survived an accidental trip over the falls. Harry’s legendary version had it as a 3-year-old named Roger Moore. In actuality, it was 7-year-old Roger Woodward, who on July 9, 1960, was on the upper Niagara River when the boat he was riding had engine trouble and then capsized. The man operating the craft went over the falls and died. Woodward’s 17-year-old sister, Deanne, was pulled from the river roughly 20 feet from the edge. Incredible.
I ultimately walked about a half-mile of the upper river on the Canadian side to an overlook of the famed horseshoe. The weather was perfect, and there were thousands of tourists from all over the world here to enjoy it. Of all the tourist attractions – do we really need zip lines to add thrills to this hallowed place? – I selected the traditional cruise on the Hornblower (the Maid of the Mist is on the USA side), which takes you to the foot of the falls, then holds, while you and everyone else gets soaked, even though you’re all wearing bright red plastic rain ponchos.
I crossed the border at the Peace Bridge, which was the closest option, and amazingly at 430 pm there was not a single car in line. It’s on to Syracuse.
Where’s the funny? Start here:
#1: When heading to USA points east from Detroit, the route via Port Huron just north is usually faster than the one via downtown. Check traffic conditions on your GPS.
#2: My Global Entry “trusted traveler” card got me nothing when crossing into Canada border by car. It’s specifically for entry to the USA. The better option for travel to and from Canada is a Nexus membership (5 years, US$50). Of course!
#3: On the Canadian side one-half mile south of the falls off Niagara Parkway, park for free (instead of C$20+) at Dufferin Islands. It’s a one-way road inside the park, so enter on the south end and drive all the way back around to the small lot just steps away from the park exit.
